Khatlon governor considers that former head of Afghanistan’s Kunduz province Muhammad Omar Safi should apologize to the Tajik people for his baseless statement.
In a report released at a news conference in Qurghon Teppa, the capital of Khatlon province, Khatlon governor Davlatsho Gulmahmadzoda noted on January 9 that a statement by Muhammad Omar Safi that Taliban tanks and other heavy weapons are allegedly being repaired by Russian engineers in Tajikistan is absolutely “baseless.”
“Such statements are being made in order to undermine relations between the two neighboring nations. Our president has repeatedly noted that Tajikistan is interested in stable Afghanistan. Before making such statements it is necessary to study the situation and think what you say,” said Tajik official. “It is impossible to transport heavy weaponry across the Panj River, which forms the border of Tajikistan and Afghanistan. I think Muhammad Omar Safi must apologize to the Tajik people for his unfounded statement.”
Last month, Muhammad Omar Safi was quoted by Afghan media as saying that military vehicles and other weapons seized by Taliban militants from the Afghan Army were being sent to Tajikistan for repairs. He alleged that the vehicles and weapons had been repaired by Russian military engineers based in Tajikistan before being returned to the Taliban.
Safi claimed that such cooperation between the Afghan Taliban and the Russian military has been going on for nearly two years.
Meanwhile, Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service reported on January 2 that Tajik authorities are looking into claims by former governor of Afghanistan’s Kunduz province that Taliban tanks and other heavy weapons are being repaired by Russian engineers in Tajikistan.
Muhammadjon Ulughkhojayev, a spokesman for Tajikistan’s border guard agency, said on January 2 that the allegations are "baseless."
Ulughkhojayev said the border guard agency “has been looking into the claim,” will study the Afghan media reports, and will report on the results of their investigation.
The Afghan Defense Ministry's deputy spokesman, Mohammad Radmanish, was also skeptical of such reports, according to RFE/RL Tajik Service.
Radmanish said on January 2 that he doesn't think it is possible “to transport heavy weaponry to the other side of the Amu-Darya River” that marks the border between Afghanistan and Tajikistan.
“[The Taliban] usually drives small vehicles, such as pickup trucks with heavy weapons mounted on them, but they do not have heavy vehicles, such as tanks,” he said.
In recent months, Afghan officials have voiced concern over what they described as Russian aid to the Taliban.
In early December, Afghan lawmakers said they planned to investigate reports about alleged seizures of Russian-made weapons destined for the Taliban.
Russia denies providing aid to the Taliban militant group.
